Release
by mfirefly10
Summary: This story is a character development piece for Athena and it takes place during the missing year from Lay Down Your Burdens, Pt. 2.
1. Chapter 1

_**Release**_

_By: Megan_

_Main Characters: Athena, Helo, Adama_

_Genre: Drama/character development_

_Disclaimer: Spoilers through season 3. This story takes place during the missing year of Lay Down Your Burdens, Pt. 2. All characters and story-arcs courtesy of Ronald D. Moore and Battlestar Galactica._

_Beta_: _Many thanks to Little Bird for the multiple betas. You pushed me to be a better writer and I am so grateful for it._

CH: 1

["Hey! Sharon, I love you! And I'm not giving up this frakking easy! Not after everything!"

Helo's words echoed in Sharon's mind. It had been two days since their return from Caprica and Sharon had not spoken to anyone during that time. When Helo came to visit, she had sent him away. When Adama came to question her, she had refused to answer.

Sharon laid on the cot in her cell, aimlessly running her hand over her once-again flat stomach. She closed her eyes and tried to remember what it felt like when Hera was still inside of her. It took a few minutes, but Sharon was finally able to remember the sensation of her unborn daughter's kicks. Sharon had heard the phrase "butterflies in your stomach" many times, but she had never understood what it meant until she became pregnant. Hera's tiny kicks felt like the fluttering of a butterfly's wings against the lining of her stomach. But those memories were all she had left now. Hera was gone; murdered by someone Sharon was supposed to be able to trust.

Sharon was not sure who had ordered her daughter's execution, but she believed it was either Roslin or Adama. She had never trusted Roslin. And the former president made it clear that she would never trust Sharon. After all, it was Roslin who wanted to throw her out of the airlock the moment she arrived. The only thing that had changed her mind was Sharon's usefulness. Sharon had information that Roslin needed, so Roslin kept her around. But Sharon never believed for a moment that Roslin wanted her there and if she felt that Sharon's presence was a threat to the Fleet, Sharon knew Roslin would have thrown her out of that airlock without a second thought.

But with Adama, it was different. There were times when Sharon would catch him watching her and she thought she saw…something. It had started back on Kobol, when she shot the man who wanted to kill Lee. Once they had returned to Galactica, Adama began to visit Sharon on a regular basis, for the purpose of interrogating her. She gave him information about the cylons and in exchange, he had allowed her and her child to survive. When Sesha Abinell took a room full of people hostage in an attempt to bring about Sharon's death, the Admiral had protected her. Sharon knew this was because he did not negotiate with terrorists, but she also believed it was because he wanted to keep her around. In part, because she had been a useful source of information, but also because he was beginning to believe in her. Or at least, that's what Sharon had thought.

But she had been wrong. Adama had never trusted her and he never would. He saw her as a machine; as something less than human. And that's the way he had seen her unborn child. Hera was not a person to him, she was a threat. And he took care of that threat the way he would any other: he got rid of it. Adama had disposed of Hera just like Leoben, and D'anna, and all of the other cylons he had come across; all except for her. Sharon could feel the anger build up inside of her. It was like a force invading her body, filling up every cell until there was nothing else left. She felt the sting of hot tears run down her cheeks.

Sharon brushed the teardrops from her eyes and turned over on her side. She looked around the tiny cell she was confined to and began to cry even harder. Hera had been the reason Sharon was able to put up with all of this. It did not matter how she was treated, as long as her child was safe. But now, Hera was gone and Sharon felt like she had nothing left. No reason to go on living. The only thing that kept her from disappearing inside herself was the rage. Her daughter was murdered and someone had to pay. At that moment, Sharon was ripped out of her thoughts when the door to the brig opened and Helo walked in. Sharon quickly wiped her tears away so he could not see that she had been crying. Helo had come to visit her a few times a day since they had returned from Caprica and Sharon had sent him away each time. He picked up the receiver and waited for Sharon's response. For a few moments, Sharon did nothing. She just turned over on her side so she would not have to look at him.

But then, Sharon remembered the look on Helo's face when Cottle had told them of Hera's death. In that moment, something faded from Helo's eyes. The sparkle they once had was no longer there and in its place came a deep sorrow. Helo had carried around that sorrow ever since. But Sharon did not want to care about his feelings. She was so angry that she wanted to hate everyone and everything. But she could not hate Helo. Next to Hera, he was the most important thing in Sharon's life. And she loved him with all of her heart. Not that she was supposed to.

Helo had been a mission; a way of fulfilling God's plan. But as Sharon began to connect with him, she realized that the cylon way of thinking had been wrong. Sharon learned that humanity was not the enemy she had believed them to be. Helo was proof of that. He was a good man who always did what he thought was right. He was kind and funny and strong. And every time he looked at her, Sharon could see how much he cared for her. Slowly, Sharon began to care for him as well, until what she felt could not be denied. Sharon had fallen in love, with Helo and the child they had conceived, and that love forced her to re-evaluate everything. That love turned Sharon against her own people and away from the only life she had ever known. And for what? So her child could be murdered and her family destroyed?

When Sharon came to Galactica, it was because she believed it was the only way to keep her family safe. But it had failed. And now all she was left with was anger and pain. But even as every fiber of her being was filled with rage, Sharon could not shut off her feelings for Helo. Sharon rolled over on her side once again, so that she was facing him. Helo's eyes pleaded with her to talk to him. Sharon slowly stood up and walked over to the receiver. She picked up the phone and held it to her ear. Helo had been so surprised that she had actually responded to him that he was at a loss for words.

"Hi," Helo said, at last. Sharon remained silent, simply nodding her head. "What you're feeling…I feel it too, Sharon. I miss Hera, all the time. I'm so angry at what happened to her." Helo placed his hand against the glass of Sharon's cell. "But we can't stop living. We owe it to Hera to go on."

"No," Sharon said, tears filling her eyes once more. "We owe it to Hera to avenge her death. Adama and Roslin murdered our daughter and we can't let them get away with it."

"Sharon, what happened to Hera wasn't anyone's fault," Helo said. "She wasn't murdered. She died. Her lungs just weren't strong enough for her to survive." Sharon could see the grief in Helo's eyes. "There is no one to blame. It was just…it just happened."

"No, Helo, it didn't just happen," Sharon said. "Hera was fine. When we left her, she was fine. She was healthy. And then, she was dead. Her lungs didn't just give out," Sharon said. "Hera was murdered. They killed her, Helo. They killed our little girl and I will not rest until they pay."

Before Helo could respond, Sharon slammed the phone into the receiver. Helo tried to say something, but Sharon could not hear him. She walked back over to her cot and sat down. Helo stayed for a while, hoping she would talk to him again, but she did not. After a while, he gave up and left Sharon alone in her cell.

[Quote from _Lay Down Your Burdens Pt. 2_


	2. Chapter 2

CH: 2

Later that night, Sharon had another visitor. This time, it was Admiral Adama. The past few times Adama had come to see her, Sharon had simply ignored his presence until he left. This time, she picked up the receiver to listen to what he had to say.

"My guards tell me you haven't been eating," Adama said. Sharon did not respond. "Starving yourself won't bring your daughter back." Adama glanced away for a moment. "I know how hard it is to outlive your child."

"You think because you lost a son and I lost a daughter that we now have something in common?" Sharon asked. "Your son died in an accident. My daughter was murdered. We have nothing in common."

"I understand if you want to blame someone for Hera's death," Adama said. "I felt the same way when Zak died. I needed a way to justify my anger." Sharon's eyes widened a bit at his last statement. "But what happened to my son was an accident. It was no one's fault. Your daughter died and you want someone to be held responsible. But Hera was not murdered by me or anyone else in this Fleet."

"You expect me to believe that?" Sharon asked, her gaze intensifying.

"I expect you to accept the truth," Adama said. "Your daughter's death was a tragedy; nothing more, nothing less. Once you've had some distance…"

"I will never accept that Hera just died," Sharon said. "I know my daughter and she was strong. She survived all those months trapped in this cell and she would've survived being born early. But you and Roslin made sure she didn't." Sharon fought back the hot tears that were burning behind her eyes. "You saw my daughter as a threat to this Fleet, so you got rid of her. You may be able to fool everyone else, but I know the truth." Sharon inched closer to the glass. "You are a murderer and I will make sure you pay for what you've done, if it's the last thing I do."

Adama stayed silent for a moment. "You want to make me pay for what you think I've done?" he asked. "Then you've got to survive long enough to make me." Once Adama left, Sharon allowed the tears she had been fighting to escape from her eyes. She curled up on her cot and cried until her eyes dried up. This time, when the guards brought her something to eat, she devoured every last bite.

[scene break

When Helo came to see her the next day, Sharon did not speak to him. But, she did not send him away, either. He simply sat on the other side of the glass and kept her company. Later that night, Helo came back and brought her dinner. Usually one of the guards did this, but Helo seemed to be trying everything he could think of to get Sharon's attentionSharon sat on her cot as Helo pushed the plate of food through the slot in the cell. Sharon did not know if that slot had been there before her arrival or if they had created it simply so they would not have to enter her cell every time they wanted to feed her.

Sharon had been given one single, metal chair to keep in her cell, so she could sit down during lengthy interrogations. She pulled the chair over to the glass and sat down to eat her dinner. Helo grabbed a chair of his own and sat down. Sharon stared at him for a moment, wondering what he would say. But Helo remained silent, simply sitting across from her. Sharon handed him a slice of bread through the slot and he took it gladly. They spent the rest of the meal in silence, simply appreciating the company. Before he left for the night, Helo placed his hand against the glass and mouthed an "I love you". Sharon did not return the sentiment, but she did briefly put her hand up to his.

Adama did not visit her that day. Sharon wondered what was going through the Admiral's mind. That night, she worked herself into a sweat, exercising until every one of her muscles burned. She needed to feel something other than anger and pain was the only other feeling she could handle at the moment. After she finished her workout, the guards allowed her to bathe. That night was the first since Hera died that Sharon did not dream about her daughter. She did not dream at all.

[scene break

A few days passed before Sharon had any visitors other than Helo. Then, one afternoon, Kara Thrace came to see her. It had been about a week since their return from Caprica and Kara still had the same glow she had when she first saw Sam. Under normal circumstances, Sharon would have been happy for Kara. They had been good friends, once. But now, Sharon could not allow herself to feel anything other than anger. Still, she was curious why Kara would come to visit, so she broke her silence in order to find out.

"Hi," Kara said, through the receiver.

"What are you doing here?" Sharon asked, avoiding pleasantries.

"Karl asked me to come," Kara said. Sharon knew how close Helo and Kara had always been, so the request did not seem that odd. "He's worried about you. And, honestly, so am I."

"After what happened with Cavil, I figured you'd hate me," Sharon said.

"No," Kara said. "I may not trust you, but I don't hate you."

"You should tell Helo to stop worrying," Sharon said. "I'll be fine, once I've done what I need to do."

"Which is what, exactly?" Kara asked. "You're planning to murder Adama and Roslin because you think they had something to do with Hera's death?"

"They did," Sharon said, coldly.

"Even if that's true, which I doubt, getting revenge isn't going to change anything," Kara said. "Your daughter will still be dead. And, if you do anything to Roslin or Adama, you'll be thrown out of an airlock. Or, is that what you want?"

"I don't want to die," Sharon said. "But I don't want to live in a world without my daughter, either. So, where does that leave me?"

"I think the question you should be asking, is where does that leave Helo," Kara said. "Losing Hera almost destroyed him. But he was able to go on because of his love for you," she continued. "If he has to lose you, too…I don't even want to think about it."

"He's a survivor," Sharon said. "It's one of the things I love most about him. He'll be all right."

"Do you really believe that?" Kara asked. Sharon nodded her head. "Then you don't know him as well as I thought you did." Kara stood up to leave. "Whatever you think about me or Adama or the rest of this Fleet, remember that Helo loves you."

Sharon spent all night thinking about what Kara had said. The other woman was clearly worried about Helo and how he would handle losing Sharon. Sharon had never really thought about that. She had been so filled with anger and her thirst for revenge had been so strong that she had not taken Helo's feelings into account. Sharon knew how devastated he had been when they lost Hera. Would he be able to survive without her, too? The thought plagued Sharon's conscience and made her question her need for revenge.


	3. Chapter 3

CH: 3

The next day, when Helo came to visit her, Sharon had picked up the receiver before he even approached her.

"Hi," Sharon said.

"Hi," Helo said. "So, I guess you're talking to me now?"

"I love you," Sharon said, after a moment. "You do know that, right?"

"I do," Helo said. "And I love you."

Sharon smiled. But her smile faded quickly and she felt a deep sense of guilt for allowing herself that moment of contentment. "All of this anger I've had built up inside of me for the past few weeks…I know that I've taken most of it out on you," Sharon said. "And I am deeply sorry for that."

"I understand," Helo said. "I only wish I could do something…anything…to make all of this right again."

"I know," Sharon said. "And I wish it were that simple, but it's not." Sharon sighed and moved away from the glass for a moment.

Helo thought she was ending their conversation, but she was merely bringing over a chair to sit down in. Helo saw this as a good sign, as it meant their conversation might actually last for more than a few minutes.

"Are you okay?" Helo asked.

"Just tired," Sharon answered.

"Me, too," Helo said, a small smile crossing his lips.

"I want you to know that I'm not going to do anything stupid," Sharon said. Helo looked confused. "I know you're worried I'll go after Roslin and Adama."

"Hasn't that been you're plan?" Helo asked.

"I believed that they should have to pay for what they did to our daughter and I still believe that," Sharon said. "But I'm not going to attack them."

"What changed your mind?" Helo asked.

"Kara," Sharon said. "She came to see me; made me think about things."

"So she helped you?" Helo asked.

"Yeah, I guess she did," Sharon said. "I suppose I have you to thank for that."

"I just thought it might help to talk to someone," Helo said. "Someone who had some distance from the situation."

"Kara made me change my mind about seeking revenge," Sharon said. "But I still believe that Roslin and Adama had something to do with Hera's death."

Helo chose his words very carefully. "You once told me that everyone has an agenda," he said. "If that's true, than killing Hera would've gone against Roslin's."

"What do mean?" Sharon asked.

"Roslin was dying," Helo said. "And the thing that saved her life – that cured her cancer- was Hera's blood. So why would Roslin want to hurt her?"

"Roslin's cancer was cured," Sharon said. "The threat was over and she didn't need Hera anymore."

"But her cancer could come back," Helo said. "Roslin knows that. So, why would she destroy the only known cure?"

Sharon was silent for a moment. "Let's say you're right," Sharon said. "That still leaves Adama."

"The Admiral wouldn't kill a child," Helo said.

"Hera wasn't a child to him," Sharon said. "He saw her as a machine."

"Even if that's true, he needed her as much as Roslin did," Helo said.

"He did?" Sharon asked.

"At that point, Roslin was still the president," Helo said. "And Adama wanted her to remain the president. She couldn't carry out her duties if she was dying of cancer."

"So you think Adama would've kept Hera around for Roslin's sake?" Sharon asked.

"I do," Helo said. Sharon sat back in the chair, silently. "What are you thinking?" Helo asked.

"I don't know," Sharon said. "Everything you said makes sense. I know that. But if I allow myself to believe it…That Hera's death really was an accident, then…"

"What?" Helo asked.

"Then I don't know how to go on," Sharon said. "The only thing that's kept me going these past few weeks has been my belief that Adama and Roslin needed to be brought to justice. I kept going because I knew I had to avenge Hera's death." Sharon looked up at Helo. "But if there's no need for revenge, then what do I do?" Sharon asked. "I'm just supposed to adjust to a world without my child?"

Helo looked away for a moment. When he turned his gaze back to Sharon, she could see tears forming behind his eyes. "It will never be okay," Helo said. "It will never be okay that we out-lived our daughter. That we have to live the rest of our lives without her." Helo pressed his hand up to the glass, wishing he could take Sharon's hand in his. "But we're still here," Helo said. "We're still alive and we need to find a way to move on."

"How?" Sharon asked, tears filling her own eyes.

"I don't know," Helo said. "But I'm hoping we can figure it out together."

[scene break

A few weeks later, Sharon and Helo fell back into their old routine. Every morning, Helo would come to visit Sharon and they would have a long talk over breakfast. Sharon would spend most of the afternoon by herself, with the exception of the short dialog she exchanged with the guard who brought her lunch. Then Helo would come back to see her after he had gotten off duty and they spent the remainder of the evening together. They did not talk about Hera, as the wound was still too fresh. Instead, Helo would fill Sharon in on the daily workings of the Fleet and Sharon would joke about the time they spent on Caprica. She never did understand how it could rain so often.


	4. Chapter 4

CH: 4

It had been about four months since Hera's death and Sharon was still learning to negotiate the day-to-day without her. Adama's visits had stopped for several weeks and Sharon had begun to think that he would only come to see her if the cylons returned. Then, one afternoon, Adama showed up on the other side of her glass cell. Sharon walked over and picked up the receiver.

"Been a long time, Admiral," Sharon said. "So is this a social visit or do you need something from me?"

"I spoke to Helo," Adama said. "He told me you'd accepted that Hera's death wasn't murder."

Sharon nodded her head. "I still think there's someone to blame," Sharon said. "I just don't think it's you."

"So who have you placed the blame on?" Adama asked. "Roslin or President Baltar?"

Sharon swore she saw Adama cringe when he addressed Baltar as the president. "Myself," Sharon said. "I'm the one who was supposed to protect Hera; keep her safe. I failed."

"I thought the same thing after my son died," Adama said. "I spent months questioning my own actions, wondering what I could've done differently." Adama sighed. "But eventually, I came to accept that Zak's death was an accident. It's a part of life that we all have to deal with."

"Maybe your son's death was an accident, but Hera's wasn't," Sharon said. "I didn't protect her. I put myself at risk so many times and…I'm the reason Hera wasn't strong enough to survive."

"Did you love her?" Adama asked.

Sharon was taken aback by the question. "More than anything," Sharon whispered.

"Did you come here, to Galactica, to keep her safe?" Adama asked.

"Yes," Sharon said.

"Then you did all you could do," Adama said.

"But…the attack…" Sharon said, referring to the attempted rape.

"Wasn't your fault," Adama said, cutting her off. "Cottle was right. What happened to you was unforgivable and it should've been prevented." Adama looked down for a moment. "I take responsibility for my part in that," he said. "This is my ship."

Sharon was silent for a moment. Adama had never spoken to her like this before. He was so open, so raw. She saw the sorrow in his eyes over what had happened to her and her daughter.

"The responsibility was mine," Sharon said. "Hera was my daughter and I should've kept her safe."

"Your daughter didn't die because you didn't protect her," Adama said. "She died because she was human." Adama must have seen the shock on Sharon's face. "And like all human life," he continued, "Hera's came to an end."

Sharon felt the wetness on her cheeks as tears began to flood from her eyes.

"It was good to see you, Admiral," Sharon said, voice breaking.

"I'll come by again tomorrow," Adama said.

[scene break

And he did. Adama began to visit Sharon on a regular basis. As he began to spend more time with her, Adama noticed that Sharon's life was pretty monotonous. So, he arranged for Sharon's cell to be decorated with a few luxury items. She was given a very large, leather couch and a coffee table. Her single metal chair was replaced with a larger, more comfortable one. And, to help with her boredom, Sharon was given a rather large collection of books to keep on her new end table. Sharon did not know where the furniture had come from, but she knew the books were given to her straight out of the Admiral's personal collection. But the best part about the new conditions Adama had set for her was that Sharon was no longer forced to communicate with her visitors through a telephone. Adama allowed her visitors, which mainly consisted of himself and Helo, to enter Sharon's cell. There was still a guard posted inside the brig at all times, making it impossible for Sharon and Helo to have complete privacy, but Sharon was not about to complain. She was delighted to be able to sit with other people and talk without having to shout through a speaker.

One afternoon, about a week after her cell had been remodeled, Adama came to visit her. As he entered her cell, Sharon could see that he had something in his hand. Adama sat down next to Sharon on her new couch and handed her the photograph he was carrying. Sharon stared down at the picture. It was taken on the day she had arrived on Galactica; or, the day Sharon Valerii had. In the photo, she was happy, maybe as happy as she had ever been. She was surrounded by the rest of the crew; a part of them. Sharon looked up at Adama to see that he had been watching her reaction to the photograph.

"Why did you bring me this?" Sharon asked.

"Do you remember that day?" Adama asked.

"Yes," Sharon said.

"But that wasn't you," Adama said. "That was another Sharon; the one who shot me."

"Yes," Sharon said.

"You once told me that you were different," Adama said. "That you and she were two separate people."

"We are," Sharon said.

"I trusted her," Adama said. Sharon detected a trace of sorrow in the Admiral's voice. "I trusted her and she betrayed me; betrayed all of us."

"And you're wondering if that will happen again." It was not a question.

"Most of the people in this Fleet don't trust you because of _what_ you are," Adama said, continuing. "Because you're a cylon, a machine." Adama looked down at the photograph. "But she was more than that to me. She was a person, a member of my crew."

"She mattered to you," Sharon said.

"Yes, she did," Adama said. "I want to believe that you told me the truth; that you _are_ different. I want to believe that because I have seen you help this Fleet. I have seen you protect the people you care about." Adama looked up to meet her gaze. "I want to look past what you are."

"But every time you try, you see her," Sharon said, finishing his thought. "You see the woman who betrayed you."

"It will take a long time before I can see anything else," Adama said.

"I'm not going anywhere," Sharon said.

Adama nodded. "That was a good day," he said, looking at the photograph once more. With that, he walked out of the brig and left Sharon alone with her thoughts.


	5. Chapter 5

CH: 5

After some time, Adama and Sharon forged a true friendship. Sharon was the one person on Galactica Adama could truly talk to. After all, she had nothing to do with the workings of the Fleet and would not judge him on the decisions he was forced to make. Adama spoke to Sharon about his declining relationship with this son. He told her about the problems occurring under Baltar's new government and how it infuriated him to watch a man he did not trust lead his people.

Sharon was not sure what made Adama open up to her in the first place, but she was glad that he had. Their relationship was a constant reminder that she had not been wrong in her decision to abandon her own people for those aboard the Galactica. The more Sharon got to know the Admiral, the more convinced she became that there were good people in the Fleet.

Her relationship with Adama also helped her to feel more at home on Galactica. His friendship and growing respect made Sharon feel like she might one day have a place in the Fleet. Sharon was able to talk to Adama about her grief over Hera's death. He was the one who convinced her to talk to Helo about it. Sharon had been holding back from that because she saw how deeply Helo was hurting and she did not want to add to his pain. But Adama made her realize that if she and Helo were ever to heal, they needed to work things out together. Sharon would always be grateful to him for that.

[scene break

Sharon laid on the cot in her cell and let her thoughts drift to Hera. It had been about nine months since her daughter's death, but Sharon still thought of Hera every day. She missed her daughter more than she would have ever thought possible, but she realized that she had to move forward. She had to start living her life again, even if it hurt, because she owed it to Hera…and to Helo. A few weeks ago, Helo had asked her to marry him, but she had refused. It was not because she no longer wanted a future with him. She still did and always would. But, after what had happened to Hera, Sharon did not want to allow herself even a single moment of happiness. How could she be happy when her child was dead? But eventually, Helo made her see the truth: that she deserved to be happy. They both did.

And so, one week ago, Sharon married the man she loved. And, when she took her vows, she meant them and she knew Helo had, as well. As Sharon closed her eyes, she allowed her thoughts to drift back to their wedding night.

[scene break

That night was the first time in a long time Sharon had been truly nervous. She and Helo had only been together once before and that was the night they conceived Hera. Since then, the memory of their time together had been etched in Sharon's mind. She had replayed every touch, every kiss, over and over again until she had it memorized. It was like a dance, the only one they had ever shared and Sharon had longed for that dance every day since. As she waited for Helo, Sharon wondered if it would be the same. Would his kiss still taste the same, would his touch still feel the same? Had she idolized the memory of their only night together so much that the real thing could never live up to it?

But when Helo walked through the hatch door, all of Sharon's doubts faded away. He sealed the hatch behind him, giving them their first private moment together in months. Helo walked over to Sharon and took her hand in his. He ran his finger along every one of hers, from tip to knuckle. Then, he placed a gentle, lingering kiss on the back of her hand. Helo reached out his other hand to her and when Sharon took it, he pulled her into his embrace, their bodies pressed against each other, as close as possible. Helo brushed his lips against her neck, as Sharon allowed her hands to trace the muscles of his back. Helo leaned back until he could look into Sharon's eyes.

"I love you," he whispered. Sharon reached up and traced his mouth with her finger, finding its shape.

"I love you," Sharon whispered, before pouring her heart and soul into their very first kiss as husband and wife. As they began to make love, Sharon was delighted to find that the real thing was better than any memory or fantasy she had. And as his mouth met hers in the deepest kiss she had ever known, she found that his lips still tasted like sugar water.

[scene break

Sharon was pulled out of that memory by a loud noise outside her cell. Sharon recognized the sound of celebration and remembered that it was Colonial Day, a holiday the people of the Fleet decided to continue to celebrate. Sharon waited for the party-goers to pass by her cell before she allowed her thoughts to resume. Sharon glanced over at the cot in her cell. Since her wedding night, Sharon no longer had to sleep alone. For the first time since they had met, Helo and Sharon would fall asleep and wake up in each other's arms. Although Sharon was grateful to the Admiral for allowing Helo to stay with her, she still longed for the day she could get out of her cell.

Sharon knew Helo had spoken to Adama about her release several times over the past few weeks, but she also knew that the old man wanted to be cautious. Even though Sharon and Adama had forged a tentative friendship, neither one was certain the other could be trusted. But it seemed Helo had made some progress with his request as he had told her just last night that Adama was going to talk to Roslin about releasing her. Though Roslin was no longer the President of the Colonies, Adama still turned to her for advice. But Sharon tried not to think about that. She did not want to get her hopes up.

Once again, Sharon was startled out of her thoughts as the hatch door swung open and Helo walked in. Sharon's face lit up at the sight of her husband. One of the marines unlocked the door to the cell so Helo could enter. Sharon immediately pulled him into an embrace.

"I was just thinking about you," Sharon whispered.

As Helo took her into his arms, Sharon felt all of the tension drain from her body. Sharon never felt more at home than she did in her husband's arms.  
"I missed you," Helo said, gently brushing his lips against her neck. "I think the Old Man is about to release you. He hasn't come out and said it yet; but, you know him."  
As Sharon looked at her husband, she was reminded of how hard it had been to get to this place. It had taken them so long to begin to put Hera's death behind them and even now, her ghost hung over their every interaction. Helo had never believed that Hera's death was anyone's fault. He could not allow himself to believe that anyone could resort to something as cruel as infanticide. In Helo's mind, it was unthinkable. Sharon loved that about him; that after everything, he still believed in the good in people. Sharon led Helo over to the cot and they both sat down.

"So, how was your day?" Sharon asked.

"Too long," Helo said. "Without the cylons to contend with, there isn't much to do on watch. Not that I'm complaining."

Sharon smiled at him. "Well, at least you've got something to occupy your day." Sharon said. "Sometimes I feel like I'm going to go crazy in here."

"It shouldn't be much longer," Helo said. "Adama will convince Baltar to let you go and then you can re-enter civilian life."

"I don't know that anyone else will be too happy about that," Sharon said. "I mean, Kara was the only one who seemed to accept me and now she's moved down to that planet."

"Well, after you're released, we'll invite Kara and Sam to come back to Galactica and celebrate," Helo said.

Sharon leaned forward and kissed him softly. "Sounds like a plan," she whispered, pulling him onto the bed.


	6. Chapter 6

CH: 6

Sharon's attention was torn away from the book she had been reading by a familiar, stomach-turning feeling. She had not felt anything like it in over a year, but she remembered the feeling all too well. Galactica had just made a jump from one set of coordinates to another. What Sharon did not know was why. Ever since Baltar decided to settle on New Caprica, the Galactica and Pegasus had maintained an orbit around the planet. Something had to have gone very wrong for Adama to break from that pattern.

A few hours past before anyone came to tell Sharon what had happened. When the hatch door opened, Sharon was relieved to see Helo walk through it. But that relief did not last long, as Sharon could see the distress on her husband's face.

"What happened?" Sharon asked, as Helo entered her cell.

"It was the cylons," Helo said. "They found us."

"What?" Sharon asked, taken aback. "How?"

Helo shook his head. "We don't know," he said. "They just appeared out of nowhere."

"So the Fleet jumped to new coordinates?" Sharon asked.

"Not the whole Fleet," Helo said. "There was no time to get anyone off that planet."

"God…," Sharon muttered to herself.

"We left them, Sharon," Helo said. "All of those people. We just left them behind."

"You had no choice," Sharon said, taking his hand and leading him over to the couch. They both sat down. "Galactica is in no shape for a fight. There was no way you could've held the cylons off long enough to get down to that planet, let alone rescue anyone."

"But we just abandoned them," Helo said. "There were dozens of officers down there and practically every member of the government. Gods, and Col Tigh just moved down there this morning. And Sam and Kara," Helo's voice caught on Kara's name. "Oh, gods, Kara…"

Sharon reached over and took his hand. "You and I both know that Kara Thrace will not go down without a fight," Sharon said. "And she hasn't lost one yet, so she's not about to start losing now."

"I know Kara's a fighter, but what if she doesn't have a chance to fight?" Helo asked. "The cylons could just blow the whole planet away. Or they could take everyone prisoner and start executing them one by one."

"If I've learned anything about the people of this Fleet, it's that you are survivors," Sharon said. "The people on New Caprica will do whatever they need to do to hold on until they can be rescued."

"The way we are now, we aren't equipped to rescue anyone," Helo said. "We could barely get our FTL drives up and running."

"But you did," Sharon said. "You got out of there and saved the lives of everyone aboard this ship. The crew will get Galactica and Pegasus back in shape and then you'll come up with a plan to get your people back."

Helo allowed a small smile to cross his lips. "How do you do that?" he asked.

"Do what?" Sharon asked.

"Always manage to say exactly what I need to hear," Helo said.

"Because I know you, Helo," Sharon said, squeezing his hand. "And I know Adama. Neither one of you will rest until you get those people to safety."

"No, we won't," Helo said.

Sharon placed a gentle, reassuring kiss on his lips. "I have faith in you, Helo," Sharon said. "Everything will be okay."

fin


End file.
